Venetian blind head box



Nov. 23, 1948. F. J. BURNS I VENETIAN BLIND HEAD BOX p Filed Aug. 15,1945 IN V EN TOR.

fired Patented Nov. 23, 1948 VENETIAN BLIND HEAD BOX Fred .1. Burns,Saginaw, Mich, assignor to The W Columbia Mills,Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application August 13, 1945, Serial No. 610,552

This invention relates generally to Venetian blinds and morespecifically to the head box and bracket supporting means therefor.

This invention has for an object the provision of structure wherein thehead box or casing may be readily inserted in its supporting bracketsand held in set position against longitudinal shifting movement to suitwindow casements of Various widths.

Another object is to provide a head box and supporting brackets providedwith interlocking means to hold the head box in set position and preventlongitudinal shifting usually caused by harsh operation of the blind,jerk on the operating cords, and vibration where installations areadjacent to heavy traffic highways.

A further object is to provide very simple, practical, and inexpensivemeans secured to or formed integral with the head box and the bracket,and by means of which the head box is held against longitudinal shiftingmovement with relation to said brackets.

Window openings which are supposedly exactly the same width, will varyanywhere from one-quarter inch to two inches or more, and this isparticularly true in old houses, consequently, Venetian blinds made tofit one opening, do not readily fit another window opening of supposedlythe same size, it being either too short or too long, so that should aVenetian blind head box of standard width be installed in a windowopening that is slightly longer than the head box, the blind will befree to shift on its supporting brackets, leavin unsightly cracks orspaces, with a light streak or streaks at one end of the head box, andfurther providing uneven mounting and balance of the head box in theopening, and these objectionable features I have overcome in my newconstruction in which the head box and one supporting bracket areinterlocked to prevent shifting when the head box is mounted;furthermore, my new construction permits a blind head box of certainpredetermined length to be used in window openings varying up to twoinches or more in width, with the same result in operation andappearance as if the window openings were exactly the proper dimensions.

These objects, further features, incidental ends and advantages, willmore fully appear in the progress of this disclosure, and as pointed outin the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views in which:

3 claims. 01. 248-264) Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my new head box andsupporting brackets, portions being broken away to more clearly show theconstruction and interlockin means.

Fig. 2 is. an enlarged, fragmentary, isometric view of the head box.

Fig. 3 is an edge-elevational View of one of the supporting brackets.

Fig. 4 is a sectional, front-elevational View taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 3.

Inasmuch as the ends of the head box and the supporting brackets aresimilar in construction, excepting that the locking means is on one endonly, it is believed that a description and illustration of that end ofthe head box and the supporting bracket with the locking means will besuflicient for anyone skilled in the art to understand the invention.

The head box 9 can be formed of any desired material, it is open at bothends, and all of the blind actuating hardware and parts (not shown) aremounted or housed therein to conceal them from view and present a neatappearance, and in the present instance I have shown the head box formedof sheet metal with a laterally projecting lip I0 secured to or formedintegral with the one end of the head box and for a purpose to bepresently described.

The supporting brackets II and I2 are of the universal type and aremounted on the side rails I3 by means of screws l9 as usual, and whilein the present instance I have shown an inside mounting, it will bereadily understood that it can be either inside, outside, or ceilinginstallation as desired.

The brackets II and [2 are formed as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 ofthe drawing, having top, bottom, side and back walls l4, IS, IS and I1respectively. Openings I8 are provided in the side wall Hi toaccommodate screws IE to facilitate mounting, and similar openings 20are provided in the top and back walls for outside or ceilinginstallations.

The general shape of the bracket is of the usual design, the bottom WallI5 being sufiiciently wide to provide ample bearing for the head boxends, and also permitting considerable longitudinal adjustment of theheadbox thereon.

A plurality of inwardly projecting ribs 2| are pressed in the back wallof the locking bracket I2, and are suitably spaced to accommodate thelip l0 therebetween, these ribs being located and spaced for readyengagement by the lip, and it will be obvious that the head box can bemounted and evenly spaced in the window opening and that it will be heldin set position.

A latch member 22 is provided on each supporting bracket, and is formedwith a laterally projecting leg 23 which is pivotally connected to theside wall at the point 24, said latch serving, when swung up, tohold'the head box in set position and to conceal the ends of the headbox from view, thusziprov-iding a verymeat,lpleasing,:andsymmetrical-end construction." This latch can be made beaded orotherwise formed to harmonize with the head box, and is provided with aturned lip 25 to facilitate easy manipulation-thereof.

In the present instance, I have shown the lip l0 formed integral withtlie-headbox-blitit will be readily understood that this-*cawbeaseparatclip welded or otherwise securedv ineposition,-:.the same conditionswould also apply in relationto the bracket as the ribs 2| could beformedon an individual strip whichwould then be spotted or secured inposition.

The foregoing ldescription is to becregardedvas descriptive andillustrative :only, and not: awarestrictive or limitative ofthe-invention, of-which obviously an "embodimentamay be constructedincluding modifications withoutrdepartingz. from "the general scope'herein' indicated and denoted ."brackets ionrzwhich -said...-headbox;iswmounted, a

4 plurality of horizontally spaced, projecting ribs provided on the backwall of one of said brackets and projecting inwardly towards theheadbox, and a turned, laterally projecting lip on the back wall of saidheadbox and engageable between certain of said ribs for securing theheadbox against longitudinal movement on said brackets.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in whichaihingecl.latchiplatelrcrms th'efront wall of said -=bracket iforholding the headbox' in engagement with said ribs, 3. In a Venetianblind including a U-shaped headboxrapair of spaced-apart brackets onwhich the he'adbox is mounted, a plurality of horizontally*' spaced,'circular-shaped projecting ribs proxvidedon' tlieback wall of one ofsaid brackets at 7. a, ,point..intermediate its height, an inwardlytoprevent longitudinal movement of;.the;headbox on the brackets.

; LFRED. J BURNS.

. REEERENCES .CI'llED The following references are of record in: the

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

